Beer coil cleaner



Jul 26, 1938.

W. A. DOUGLASS BEER COIL CLEANER Filed Sept. 23, 1936 Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in beer coil cleaners, and has for its object to provide a simple and efiicient device that can be readily attached to an ordinary faucet and in which the cleaning material is discharged from a chamber attached thereto, and which is also attached to the pipe leading to the beer coil so that the flow of water through the container will force the cleansing material up through the beer coil and cleanse the latter, and then be returned to the cleansing material chamber, the cleansing material remaining in said chamber and the water that has passed through the coils passes oifinto a sewer. This operation can be repeated as often as desired, and the same cleansing material is used at each cleaning.

This invention consists of the novel construc tion and arrangement of the parts and combination of parts hereinafter more fully set forth in the following specification and pointed out in detail in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the coil box, partly broken away, and showing my invention attached to a water faucet and connected to one of the coils.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the container which is attached to the water faucet and to which the cleansing material container is attached.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the cleansing material container.

Figure 4 is an edge View of the disk valve held in the lower end of the water chamber.

Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 4 showing the tongues of the disk valve in the position they assume when forced open by the water pressure.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views thereof, I designates the Water container which is provided on its upper end with an internally-threaded nipple 2' adapted to screw upon the faucet 3. Secured to the upper surface of the receptacle I is a nipple 4 to which the cleansing material receptacle 5 is attached, said receptacle 5 is provided with a stop-cock 6 which is turned to allow the cleansing material to flow into the receptacle I and then turned to cut off communication from the receptacle 5 to the receptacle I. The receptacle 5 has a pipe, or hose, I, connected at its upper end which is adapted to be slipped over the end of any one of the faucets 8. The said receptacle 5 is also provided with an overflow pipe having a screen I therein, to prevent the cleansing material from flowing through the pipe 9 and retaining it in said receptacle 5. The receptacle I is connected by a pipe, or hose, II, to any one of the beer coils I2 and has a metal disk valve I3 secured in its lower end which is split through the center from a point near the periphery to form the resilient tongues I4. This disk valve I3 holds the cleansing material I5, which is of a suitable granular form, in the lower end of the container I until the said container I fills with water and the pressure forces the tongues I4 of the disk I3 open, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing, when the said material will be forced through the hose II and through the beer coil I2, faucet 8 and hose I back to the container 5. The material will be deposited in the container and the water will flow through the pipe 9 to a sewer or other point of discharge, the screen II) will prevent the cleansing material from passing through the pipe 9. The container I is provided with an air-vent pipe I6 which has a check-valve II to prevent the water from flowing through said air-vent pipe. As the water flows into the container I the air will pass out through the check valve I1 and when the container I fills with water the pressure of the water will close the check valve I1 and prevent any water passing through the pipe IS. The container I is also connected by a pipe I8 to a suitable supply of air under pressure and has a valve I9 to open and close communication through said pipe I8 to the receptacle I.

After the beer coil has been thoroughly cleansed, and the cleansing material deposited in the receptacle 5, the faucet 3 is closed to cut off the water to the receptacle I. This leaves the system full of water. The valve I9 is then turned to permit air under pressure to enter the container I which will force all of the water out of the system through the pipe 9 leaving the coils free of any Water and ready to be attached to one of the beer kegs so that the beer can flow through the coils free of any water or other substance. The pressure of air in the receptacle I will close the check valve II and after all of the water has been forced from the system the valve I9 is turned to cut off the air pressure which allows the check valve IT to open and vent the chamber I. The cleansing material I5, which is of a hard, sharp substance, will be deposited in the container 5 as each coil is cleaned and can be used over again in the same manner any number of times. The hose ll is flexible and of sufiicient length to be connected to any one of the pipes leading to the coils in the coil box 20.

It can thus be seen that my device can be attached to any ordinary faucet and the hose II can be connected to any one of the number of coils for cleansing the latter, and the cleansing material can be used over as many times as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A beer coil cleaner comprising a water container having a screw-threaded inlet adapted for connection with a faucet and a screw-threaded outlet at its lower end, a pipe connected at one end to the outlet and adapted to be connected at its other end with the lower end of the beer coils, a cleansing material container removably secured to and communicating with the water container, a valve to control flow between the said two containers, an inlet pipe secured at one end to the top of the cleansing material container and having its opposite end adapted to connect with the beer coil faucet, an outlet pipe connected to the top of said cleansing material container and having a strainer therein, an air inlet pipe connected to the water container, and an air-vent pipe connected to the water container and having a check valve therein adapted to be closed by the water pressure or compressed air pressure.

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS. 

